Locals Again Disrupt Waste Disposal at Bancharedanda Landfill

Nuwakot— Waste disposal at the Bancharedanda landfill, situated along the border of Kakani in Nuwakot and Dhunbesi in Dhading, has once again been disrupted as locals blocked garbage trucks arriving from the Kathmandu Valley. Residents prevented the trucks from unloading waste, citing unfulfilled promises and demanding the implementation of a previous agreement with the Kathmandu Metropolitan City.
The protests come after a similar obstruction in the first week of November, which was temporarily withdrawn following Minister for Urban Development Kulman Ghising’s intervention. Minister Ghising had assured locals that their concerns would be addressed within 15 days, but the commitments were reportedly not met, prompting renewed demonstrations.
The affected residents, primarily from Kakani Wards 1, 2, and 3 and Dhunbesi Municipality Wards 1 and 3, gathered along the Kundule, Sisdole, and Dhande road sections, turning back incoming garbage trucks. They demanded the full implementation of the 18-point agreement signed on June 9, 2022, which lays out provisions for waste disposal at the Sisdole–Bancharedanda–Kundule landfill site.
Key demands include restricting waste disposal to nighttime hours, controlling foul odors, ensuring vehicles transporting waste do not leak leachate, and preventing waste runoff from entering rivers through proper scientific management. Locals warned that the failure to implement the previous agreement has worsened their living conditions, contributing to a rise in infectious diseases and affecting their daily lives.
Local representatives from Kakani, Belkotgadhi, and Dhunbesi municipalities have expressed solidarity with the peaceful protests, emphasizing the need for ministerial-level commitments to resolve the issues. The residents’ action underscores ongoing challenges in implementing systematic and scientific waste management in the Kathmandu Valley, highlighting the importance of dialogue between authorities and local communities to ensure public health and environmental safety.